THE CONDOR 
VOL. VI 
108 
unknown cause it was deserted and being exposed to the wind and weather soon 
decreased in size until now it is a mere platform of sticks, but still a relic of former 
days. Probably some day it will be repaired and made use of. 
The nest is usually placed in the upright branches of an elm or oak, eight to 
fifty feet above the ground. Of the thirty-five nests that I have so far found, two- 
thirds are yearly reoccupied, but whether by the same pair of birds, I am unable to 
say. The birds are always careful in selecting a position where they are enabled 
to view the entire surrounding country with ease. When an intruder approaches, 
the parent immediately leaves without the slightest noise and is lost to view for a 
time. After a short while it returns with its mate and both alight on some nearby 
tree and watch the proceedings with much interest. Sometimes they will even 
alight on the same tree that contains the nest, while the intruder is examining the 
same. Again I have seen both birds flying about overhead, constantly uttering a 
loud guttural sound. Of the thirty-five nests that have come under my observation, 
thirty were composed solely of broomweed and without a lining, two were built of 
broomweeds and small briars, while the remaining three were built of various sub- 
stances, such as corn husks, small .sticks, broomweed, mesquite twigs and the like. 
Sometimes old ne.sts of hawks are appropriated, and to these are added a few 
broomstraws, or weeds. Two and three eggs are laid, two being the usual comple- 
ment. Surely few hawk, eagle, or vulture eggs present a greater diversity in col- 
oration. The usual color is a light browu, which is marbled and clouded with 
various shades of darker brown. Some eggs are solid brown, some have a light 
chocolate ground, spotted and clouded with various shades of darker brown, and 
again I have .seen eggs of a rich reddish brown. If washed in water when fresh 
the}" will readily lose color, and become a dirty white. On one occasion I found a 
nest containing two eggs of this species which were almost white. They had been 
exposed to much rain for the entire coloring was washed off. Incubation was well 
advanced and on this account I was unable to preserve them. Three eggs in my 
cabinet collected March i, 1902, have a light brown ground color spotted, streaked 
and clouded with a darker shade of brown. They measure respectively 2.19 by 
1.74: 2.23 by 1.82; 2.12 by 1.82 inches. The picture accompanying this article 
was taken by the writer in April 1902 in Caldwell county. The nest contained 
one fresh egg, which was left undisturbed and after two days a full set was secured. 
These birds do not thrive in captivity. I saw two in San Pedro Park, in San 
Antonio, last summer. They were in a very small cage and though full grown 
were much smaller than the birds which are at liberty. They were very active, 
and watched with much interest the people that were passing by. 
FROM FIELD AND STUDT 
Two Unusual Birds at Stanford University, Cal. — At the May meeting of the Cooper 
Club, Prof. John O. Snyder of Stanford University, exhibited a specimen and nest and eggs of 
tlie Sierra junco {Jnnco h. thurbcri) which he had secured in the Stanford Arboretum. The nest 
was built between the loose bark and the trunk of an eucalyptus, several feet from the ground, a 
quite unusual position for a junco. One would naturally expect to find the Point Pinos junco, if 
any; but this specimen, compared with the type of the latter species turns out to be the inland 
bird. The other junco of the pair, or perhaps there is a little colony, was seen by the writer all 
through the spring, and as late as July ii, when it was observed perched head downward, drink- 
ing from a hydrant. 
In the last issue of this magazine a little note was inserted stating that an olive-sided fly- 
ciitcher {Con t opus borealis) had taken up residence in the Stanford Arboretum. This bird, or 
